need two answers,,,,,please

[Milton Jeff]

Edmunds cost of ownership calculator... You can get some very interesting results using it.
https://www.edmunds.com/tco.html

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[projectvortex]

I retired from Ford as a Roll Test inspector. EVERY vehicle that comes off the line is driven on a dynamometer (roll tester) where everything is computer is monitoring everything in the engine, transmission, etc. We also would check every light and electrical function (wipers, a/c, radio, etc) If everything passes it then goes to final inspection where it is looked over thoroughly under bright lights, then goes through water test where it is checked for any leaks. Trust me, Ford would much rather find any faults while in the factory so they can correct them. Repairs made under warranty at the dealership is very costly. Plus, believe it or not, Ford wants every car or truck produced to be perfect. Ford and its employees take pride in their workmanship and want to build the best vehicles in the world. I went over my Lariat hybrid very closely with a trained eye and could find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Very well built, a very happy customer!

So when I picked up my hybrid lariat on Jan 8 and it had 71 miles on it, what should I think about that mileage? The dealer was clueless (big surprise).

 

[XLTLUXRED]

I retired from Ford as a Roll Test inspector. EVERY vehicle that comes off the line is driven on a dynamometer (roll tester) where everything is computer is monitoring everything in the engine, transmission, etc. We also would check every light and electrical function (wipers, a/c, radio, etc) If everything passes it then goes to final inspection where it is looked over thoroughly under bright lights, then goes through water test where it is checked for any leaks. Trust me, Ford would much rather find any faults while in the factory so they can correct them. Repairs made under warranty at the dealership is very costly. Plus, believe it or not, Ford wants every car or truck produced to be perfect. Ford and its employees take pride in their workmanship and want to build the best vehicles in the world. I went over my Lariat hybrid very closely with a trained eye and could find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Very well built, a very happy customer!

Thank you so much! This gives a lot of peace.

May I ask you a question about the process? My Vehicle Visibility Report shows that our truck has been "produced" and I can tell you that the modules populated on 1/4. (Does that mean it has all its chips?) My sales guy's manager then said it must be ready to be shipped. However, it then went out to an external Body Shop, which I assume was for the Spray-In Bedliner. The sales manager is again saying it must be ready for shipping. It's been 12 days since it returned from the external Body Shop, but we have not yet received a "Built" email; Ford Customer Service says it is not yet listed as awaiting shipment. I have noticed "Trim Line" on some folks' VVRs, but not on ours. Does that mean the truck has another step to go before shipping, or do some vehicles not need that step? Thanks in advance for assisting my sanity. Just trying to pace my expectations.

 

[Brauntex]

I retired from Ford as a Roll Test inspector. EVERY vehicle that comes off the line is driven on a dynamometer (roll tester) where everything is computer is monitoring everything in the engine, transmission, etc. We also would check every light and electrical function (wipers, a/c, radio, etc) If everything passes it then goes to final inspection where it is looked over thoroughly under bright lights, then goes through water test where it is checked for any leaks. Trust me, Ford would much rather find any faults while in the factory so they can correct them. Repairs made under warranty at the dealership is very costly. Plus, believe it or not, Ford wants every car or truck produced to be perfect. Ford and its employees take pride in their workmanship and want to build the best vehicles in the world. I went over my Lariat hybrid very closely with a trained eye and could find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Very well built, a very happy customer!

Hi Bob, thanks for your post. I've never toured a Ford Assembly Plant, but I did tour the GM Arlington, TX Final Assembly plant in the late '70s when they were building the Chevelle/Malibu, El Camino and Cutlass at that plant and I very clearly recall the final stop on the tour. It was the end of the assembly line where the cars were driven off the assembly line to the very large rollers you describe, and I saw a hose put over the exhaust and wheels spinning furiously for a minute or two and noticed the lights/wipers etc. being cycled for each vehicle before it was driven off the rollers and through large doors to another section of the plant, perhaps for the bright lights and water test you described. We didn't see those steps on the tour.
My vivid recollection is that late '70s domestic vehicles were probably at their lowest quality before all the American brands stepped up quality during and after the '80s as the Japanese cars were making massive inroads against the domestic companies due to their higher quality at the time.
I can't imagine that Ford (or any other maker) is doing less to insure the quality of the final product now compared to those late '70s cars.
I'll be trading my 2011 F150 XLT with over 198,000 miles on the odometer on my new Maverick and it's been the best and most reliable car I've owned, without anything other than routine maintenance, oil/lube, shocks/struts, 1 brake job and a tune up at about 120,000 miles, since driving it off the dealer lot new. I don't think I've even had to do a front end alignment and I'm only on the third set of tires on the truck (over 70,000 miles per set).
I'm expecting similar quality and reliability from my new Maverick and expect this one to outlive me and be passed down to my Grandson for his first Ford truck.

 

[rknrbt]

Hi Bob, thanks for your post. I've never toured a Ford Assembly Plant, but I did tour the GM Arlington, TX Final Assembly plant in the late '70s when they were building the Chevelle/Malibu, El Camino and Cutlass at that plant and I very clearly recall the final stop on the tour. It was the end of the assembly line where the cars were driven off the assembly line to the very large rollers you describe, and I saw a hose put over the exhaust and wheels spinning furiously for a minute or two and noticed the lights/wipers etc. being cycled for each vehicle before it was driven off the rollers and through large doors to another section of the plant, perhaps for the bright lights and water test you described. We didn't see those steps on the tour.
My vivid recollection is that late '70s domestic vehicles were probably at their lowest quality before all the American brands stepped up quality during and after the '80s as the Japanese cars were making massive inroads against the domestic companies due to their higher quality at the time.
I can't imagine that Ford (or any other maker) is doing less to insure the quality of the final product now compared to those late '70s cars.
I'll be trading my 2011 F150 XLT with over 198,000 miles on the odometer on my new Maverick and it's been the best and most reliable car I've owned, without anything other than routine maintenance, oil/lube, shocks/struts, 1 brake job and a tune up at about 120,000 miles, since driving it off the dealer lot new. I don't think I've even had to do a front end alignment and I'm only on the third set of tires on the truck (over 70,000 miles per set).
I'm expecting similar quality and reliability from my new Maverick and expect this one to outlive me and be passed down to my Grandson for his first Ford truck.

Everything now is so much more advanced. I have been retired almost 24 years and can only imagine the technology today. I still have friends who are at the plant (Kansas City) from which I retired and they concur with my assessment. I hope your Maverick will be every bit as good as your F150.

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